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Frying Pan To The Fire Billic Out Moyes In God Help Us

Submitted by nevillenixon on Mon, 06/11/2017 - 12:42

The inevitable finally happened at West Ham United's only permanent home, their Rush Green training centre, when Prime minister incarnate Karren Brady arrived in a 'smoked out' limo in order that she could deliver the coup de grace to Slaven Billic personally. After two and a half long years the likeable Hammers manager has finally been given the chop, in what was one of football's least kept secrets his departure was a foregone conclusion, it was just a matter of when not if!

Of course there was the small matter of compensation to pay out, but the sum involved is dwarfed by the obscene amount of money that any team no matter how good or bad receives in the glittering illusion that is the Premier League, the fact that David Moyes looks set to take over managerial duties does not come as a great shock as he fits the brief of (a) knowing the Premier League and (b) needing no pay out from his previous team and finally (c) he is desperate to do well knowing that this job is his final visit to the last chance saloon, cock this one up and he becomes 'managerial toast' leaving him completely unemployable by any creditable club.

Moyes' fall from grace is in some ways synonymous with what has happened to West Ham United itself, enormous expectation was denied and the crushed by extenuating circumstances that led to total meltdown, Billic had it with Payet and Moyes got it firstly by not living up to old red nose's grand design at Manchester United and then by flopping in Europe and completing the set by being too honest and unchangeable at Sunderland as he oversaw their relegation. So what makes Moyes such a good candidate? Well essentially anyone who is a good manager is already employed if you rule out the usual suspects, Big Sam, Alan Curbishley or Alan Pardew (strangely all ex-hammers managers) so Moyes seems like a perfect fit but is he?

Moyes can work on a limited budget, something he will have to get used to if he does become the next manager at the 'Toxic Drome', he can organise his defence, something which ex-defenders Billic and Dicks somehow completely forgot, as if they both became afflicted with defensive amnesia as soon as they left the Boleyn, so Moyes should achieve some improvement, judging by the last two home games he would have to be deaf dumb and blind for the defence not to improve under his guidance.

The player pool available to the incoming manager is very good, on paper! If he was brave enough there are sufficient promising players at youth level to really overhaul the squad, there is no need for a massive spend, there are many who believe that Billic's first season success was due to the fact that he WAS prepared to use young and/or fringe players because essentially he had to. As soon as funding issues reared their ugly head in Billic's second season he was given a 'bye' as an excuse for below par performances whereas it was the spirit of the team that was in need of an overhaul, not the players them selves.

It is to be hoped that the new manager has learnt from his past mistakes and will avoid a 'doom, gloom' appraisal of the squad irrespective of what he really thinks, there is no point in adding to the already incredibly negative atmosphere around the club there is enough of that to keep things stoked up ad infinitum, what is needed is a calm and methodical approach, something he IS capable of doing.
It is the lot of football fans to have to endure the slings and arrows of despair in the hope that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

Fortunes always hiding - Ed

Foot note: Who ever takes over the team they will have little recovery time between their first and second fixtures as West Ham take on Watfors away and then Leicester City at home in the space of 5 days due to Television access as both matches are due to be televised.

Watford FC v West Ham United Barclays Premier League Sunday 19th of November KO: 16:00 Hrs at Vicarage Road
West Ham United v Leicester City Barclays Premier League Friday 24th of November KO: 20:00 Hrs at The London Stadium

The reason why Bilic had a good first season was because he inherited a mostly capable squad who had been well drilled and trained by Allardyce and he encouraged them to play attacking football and go out and enjoy themselves... something which they had lost in playing the percentage driven 'respect the point' tactics drilled into them. With Payet adding a bit of excitement and flair as well as the burgeoning move to the OS - they were riding on a wave of enthusiasm... the first season was always going to be tough at the OS but the curse of moving stadiums looks to have had some substance psychologically - hard not to suscribe to it when all the papers, pundits and fans perpetuate it further... loss of identity, destruction of the clubs history - agree with to an extent but if the club stayed at the Boleyn, momentum never would have found us and we would be championship contenders all the same anyway. We've spent a lot of money for the wrong players and Bilic hasn't been able to train them adequately or command the authority to get them playing and give rollicking them when needed. There's no reason why our squad shouldn't finish above 12th with the players we have and that falls on their shoulders but nice guy or not, the manager should be the one to ensure they achieve theor potential

Whilst Bilic wanted to be one of the lads, which must have ultimately bred a lack of respect as a leader. Moyes is the opposite. He won't be backward in coming forward when dishing out bollockings. He might even have a pop at Lady Brady (if you was a bloke I'd give you a slap). Oops how we forget.........!!!!

its a win win for the board! replace a likable man but poor manager with some dour faced loser for 6 months until we find out who wants to manage us in the championship! next season...and no transfer business as the said new mans only got the job for 6 months lol...i tell you when they were giving out brains our board thought they said drains and asked for small ones with big gaps...give me strength

This in my opinion is the beginning of a catastrophe. The board has wronged any decision taken, not thinking about the good of the club but just thinking about swelling his pockets, picking us up for the ass. Moyes on a six month contract ?? This means that if we save, the contract will be extended. And the leap of quality they said they made us ?? All bullshit. I was not a big admirer of Big Sam, but I would have preferred him to come

Remember Avram Grant an ex Chelsea boss who took over especially after a promising preseason 100% record? He started off with a 4-0 spanking from Aston Villa and then it was downhill all the way. He should have been axed by the new year but was given all the backing right up until West Ham were officially relegated. Will David and David continue following the same path with Moyes? Will Moyes request a few key players at a bargain price thatcould help fill in the loopholes that exist in the present squad, that has been exploited by teams such as Brighton, Man United and Liverpool. Yes there is a certain spirit that is devoid in the team. On occasions you see our forwards casually strolling and ball watching, rather than throwing in some tackles as one example. At Everton Moyes brought in a couple of young talented players and used them to their strengths. Bilic did not organise the team according to their strengths, instead he tried to get them to play according to a certain game plan, that suited European teams. I am sure that if Bilic still managed the squad for the Man City game, we would have the stadium with numerous empty seats even in the first half. Man City would end up scoring goals in the double figures. So at the moment Moyes is not my first choice, but I am seated on the fence wrt his appointment.

No matter who the board appoint, we as West Ham fans have got to back him, as it's been said he is not every body's choice but he's no stranger to the premiership and he seems to know that we need drilling and organising and I think some of our players are going to wonder whats hit them training wise and I think there could be a backlash within the club, because when you've spent 18 months at a holiday camp with players fetching their dogs and having a few days off this will stop I just hope that Moyes does not change the regime to quickly otherwise it could end up in injuries, then I can see another Di Canio turn out, where he tried to train the players too hard and you know the rest the senior players got him the sack. It all depends on the player's attitude how much do they want the premiership. A lot of them won't care cos they will just go to another club they wont give a f*ck about West Ham especially Sacko, but I just hope that Noble Collins and a few of the old heads can steady the ship and a lot will depend on who Moyes gets to help him turn it around, and I would hope this might be a couple of ex-west ham players Rio Ferdinand Sheringham. To be honest I could not name Bilics backroom staff and I never heard one of them give an opinion, all the time Billic was there, all you saw was the bloke in a bobble hat with his hand over his mouth. But we must try and get behind our team because they will need our support more than ever especially with the fixtures that we have in December So COYI

A few weeks ago one of my friends was in the same hotel as the West Ham team (playing golf in and around Harrogate) when West Ham were due to play Burnley the next day and he spoke to Slaven Bilic about the team and whether he was worried about the sack. He was not worried at all nor were his management team as they told Mike they would just move on when it came and look for a new club. It tells me Slaven had lost it weeks ago and was a dead man walking and should really have gone last season as we struggled to finally get 11th place.
As for David Moyes being appointed it does not fill me with much confidence but I will live in blind hope that he can turn it round. No one else wanted the job apparently and apart from ex West Ham managers being available (Curbishly, Fat Sam and Pardew) he was the cheapest and I believe he has been given 6 months to save us and will be offered a longer contract if we finish mid table.
In reality I see the Championship league looming but hope I am wrong.............the thought of relegation will haunt me until May 2018 or until Moyes proves me wrong and does actually save us!!!!